Growing up with Herman Boone as her father, Monica Merritt certainly heard plenty from the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Boone, the legendary football coach who was handed the responsibility of coaching at the first integrated high school in Alexandria, Va., was a civil rights leader in his own right, who got encouragement from King as he used football to teach lessons of inclusion and love that King espoused. Naturally, he taught those values to his children.

Boone's efforts were portrayed in the movie "Remember the Titans," in which Denzel Washington starred as Boone.

Now Merritt, the superintendent of the Plymouth-Canton Community Schools district, is trying to impart those lessons to the students she guides. And Monday, she urged the audience at Canton Township's annual celebration of King's life and legacy to "become the difference."

"My dad used football to teach the lessons of unity ... and doing what's right," Merritt said. "He was motivated by Dr. King. I, too, answered the call into education, to be 'the difference.'"

Merritt intertwined lessons from her father with the legacy of King in her keynote speech, noting that King's message was for everyone and remains important today.

"We cannot fool ourselves that this message is not for us," Merritt said. "You and I ... must teach our children every day to be the difference. Those who accept the challenge, like Dr. King, become the difference."

Merritt's speech drew loud applause and a standing ovation and was the highlight of an inspired ceremony at the Village Theater at Cherry Hill, which drew a full house. It folllowed the electric singing of a pair of songs — "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "Lift Every Voice and Sing" — by choir director Keri Mueller.

Mueller also led the Workman Elementary School choir in a couple of songs. The choir also closed the program.

In between, Khadega Mohammed performed a pair of spoken word writings, including one called "Unity."

Cecilia Escobar, chairperson of the Canton Commission for Culture, Arts and Heritage, said the event was designed to both entertain and as a call to service, driven home by Merritt's speech. She said it's especially important in a community as diverse as Canton.

"We are blessed to have this diversity in this small community," Escobar said. "We have to communicate with each other."

Canton Township Supervisor Pat Williams agreed.

“Canton is a diverse community made up of many different cultures and we want to recognize all” Williams said. "This is an opportunity to bring everyone together."